South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-06-24
THEINTELLIGENCER
FRIDAY. JUNE "a. 1887.
Those Battle-H iags.

FRIDAY JUNE "a 1887.
Those Battle-E Flags.
Ia the sttics and celIsrs Of the
War Department ~ Washington are
slowed away in boxes ard slowly rot.
ting $40 batsle-nsg.y part Of which
were borne BY the Union troops. and
part captured from the 1onfsderats
armies during tho late war. Last
Wednesday. President Cleveland.
knowing that these colors were fast
becoming nothing but packs of faded,
rotten rags. and that their remaining
ia the custody Of she Federal govern.
meut has always practically had tss
eff.c. Of tsun ting the conquered Wit \
their defes', and thinking to increas
the fra.erna! spisit existing between
the psopie Of the North sni those o.
the South, ordered them TO be return.
Ell 70 the Governors Of the several
Safes from whose troops they were
captured or obtained. Each f.gy
whether Federal or Confederate. was
to be numbered, marked with the
circu m stances and place OF its capture
the battles in which it was used. &C..
and :turne to the Gov, rnor Of tho
State by VIII ,se trOopsl. was carried
in the war. This it WAS thought,
would b, grac .ful compliment to
he people Of the South. who nstu rally
revere the onsign, which so many
tens of thou sands Of their gallant sol.
diers followed TO vic DRY or death: ;
while. at the s,me time. it was sup
posed tn It ths Ci'izens OF the Nurth
woul.i be we'll pleased to oncs more
obtain 10 session Of the standards
that Il 'ated over their armies from
Sumptsr TO Apppmattox Bat. had
our peaceful lane boen startled By
u e announcement that the c ,nfe de.
rat. s. ates had gu denly sece led
fr N tue Union again, it is doubtful
whether any greater storm of Sec
tional fe ling would have been raised
than that which followed the promul
CATION Of this just and comm .ndsble
or''er. No sooner was the n.ws Il .sh.
ed over the Country that the battle-
A.gs Of the late war were 20 be re-
turned 10 the States ~ which they
belonged, than kilograms began
pouring In upon the President at
Washi ,gton con:sining resolutions
Ca hi:g and denunciatory Of the or
der, passed by Grand Army posts and
Union veterans associations all over
the country, and the formal, but
equally violent, protests Of tho Gov
errors Of many Northern and Western
States, stating that no REBEL f,.s
would DC given up by their States.
end that legal s'eps would be taken
to enjoin the surrender Of the Con-
f.derate colors 10 the States from
which they came. Governor Fora.
ker, Of Ohio. anil Gen. Lucius Fair.
child, OF Wi,c 'n,in. c,mm ander. in.
chief of the Grand Army OF the Re.
public, particularly Distinguished
themselves Ivy their bitter and bloody
shirt denunci ,tions OF the President
course in regard to the flags In all
dressing q G'and Army 20 in Now
York C ~, tie latter said: MAY Col
a.sy the hand hat wrote tho order
May Gu palsy the brain that CO nceiv-
ed II. AMI may G ii palsy the tongue
that dictated i'll" This sentiment
was loudly spplauded. Gen. Fair
child was endorsed in his vie utter.
ances by Gen. Sherman and many
prominent republicans all over the
country. Ga Thursday, President
Cievels MI examined the lsw relatir q
TO cip'ured fags, and found that he
bad no authority to remov, them,
such power being exercisable by Con
gress alone. HIS order was, conse-
quently. revoked.
When The proposition 10 rom oye
flags was first made TO The President
by Adjutant-General Drum, the right
Of the depar' m, mt TO make these re-.
turns being questioned by the Presi
dent such right was distinctly assert
ed and prec' d n's alleged. and hero.
upon b oral assent was given to the
proposed action. II is said that the
whole plan vas concocted by schem.
ing republicans at Washington, FOR the
purpose Of making political capital
out ~ ~ the nc 1T Presidential cam.
paign; bot. " s., il has mos: signal
Iy failed of its object, as none OF the
Southern States had ever asked for
the flags, and the Governors Of seve-
raj OF them notified the President that
Z sio., liza 80